I just can’t remember the last time when I was so devastated as I am now, while playing EURYNOMOS` compilation of singles, released by Iron Pegasus from Germany. Welly well, I decided to help spread this plague – and let it infect other metal maniacs too, all right! It`s a very good old-school metal in the vein of old BATHORY/VENOM. Does your Devilish heart need anything else? Nah! Ok, let`s not waste time. Read on:

1. Hail Aethon, I got your CD, The Trilogy Singles from Costa/Iron Pegasus. This compilation album killed me, man! Fucking old school music glorifying Devil! Don’t you think it is the devil himself that has been inspiring different forms of art for ages? I would say it’s thanks to this dark creature that metal music is so damn blasting and so very obscure, eh?

Hails Leszek. Great to hear that you like the Trilogy release! Dark powerful Metal mayhem with a rebellious spirit. For those who love their Metal the traditional heavy and powerful way. About the devil, some say „God Gave Rock n Roll to you but the Devil twisted it into Heavy Metal“, perhaps it is true, ha-ha.

2. Why do you play this very kind of music, huh? What is your main inspiration, is it music or something else? You know, some dark poetry, occultism, movies, history…I am asking about it as your lyrics reek of sulphur and tar …

We are all total dedicated old school Metal Maniacs, just like you are. We wanna cultivate the spirit of the early extreme Metal pioneer scene, from the warriors who created this genre. We wanna carry this torch. I am personally more involved with the musical aspect of EURYNOMOS. Music comes first for me, that’s the foundation of the band. Our lyrics deal with fictional but also historical subjects. Okkulto, our singer, and I have a strong interest for historical subjects. You can see this in lyrics like „Eye of the Pantheon“. More songs in that direction will follow. But we also sing about daily things that can happen in everyone’s life… like „Witchryder“… you fall in love with a woman that does you no good but you cannot resist her, etc.

3. I think we can say blood has been treated like some sort of spiritual currency for ages. Blood, many times, has been used to sign pacts and agreements with Devil himself. Do you believe in devil? How, in your opinion, this obscure gentleman looks like?

First of all, I am a Metalhead. I was attracted to Metal because of the music first, because of its powerful and rebellious expression. Of course, when you play dark and powerful raw music, the image is similar. I see it in a theatrical way, like Shakespeare. What is in our blood is the passion for this music, it is in our DNA. You need to have it in your blood to play it with authenticity. How the devil looks like? Hmmm… I hope ugly or our artworks are totally wrong, ha-ha.

4. Satan has been for ages held responsible for all evil and misfortune this world suffers from. What do you think, is it really HIM who`s responsible? Or is it US to blame, not this Horned creature? And we`re just looking for some excuse for any of our misdeeds.

There is always one guy to blame for all misfortune. For all religions, it is the Devil. Very easy. And you can use him in different ways to oppress people. Just think of the catholic days of inquisition, how many people died just because the church said they were worshipping the devil, etc. So in a way, the Devil was a good creation for religion to spread fear and to control people and even get rid of them. That’s why for some people, the Devil also stands for rebellion against all chains of religion. Cause he is the opponent to the established system. The true devil sometimes is disguised…. evil politicians, greedy people, ruthless businessmen, etc…think you know what I mean.

5. You`ve been active as EURYNOMOS for three years now. But you all guys have played in other bands too. How did you come up with the idea of forming EURYNOMOS?

No, I didn’t play in any band before. The other guys did, but I have no past sins that I have to be ashamed of, hehe. But I play in a second band, called MEGATHÉRION. That’s a different chapter. The idea of forming EURYNOMOS is quite old. Okkulto left DESASTER in 2001, and it was sad that he retired from singing, he had to get back behind the microphone one day, his voice is very raw and unique and should be heard again. It took some years to get it all together, cause he needed some time out from music after he left DESASTER. But the idea of doing something together is more than 10 years old. We are old friends and have the same kind of musical taste when it comes to old Metal bands. It was natural that we would attack together one day. It took longer than expected, but anyway here we are, armed and ready to strike!

6. Your music is very much black metal oriented with plenty of thrash influences. I am pretty sure, you listen to a lot of old school stuff, hey?

It is the old 80s Black Metal and Thrash, but also traditional Heavy Metal and also Hard Rock. This is what we channel into EURYNOMOS. We don’t mind new bands as well, but in EURYNOMOS we want to capture the spirit of our metallic ancestors, the music we worshipped and grew up with as hungry teenagers. And we try to still feel the hunger and transform it into our music.

7. You`ve been pretty actively playing live. Any chances to see you in Poland in the future? I am sure you know our fans are wild!

We have only played three gigs so far, two festivals and one club gig. Was a good and very loud experience. If Polish maniacs wanna see us live in your country, sure, we are ready to deliver our molten steel to Poland! If you maniacs are ready for us, then we will be ready for you. We wanna play for everyone who loves traditional, heavy and dark Metal mayhem! So Polish gig organizers, feel free to invite us and we will bring our heavy artillery.

8. DESASTER has recently performed a live show here in Poland. Okkulto was a member of that band. Are you in touch with Markus and other guys?

Yeah, I saw a video, very cool! DESASTER are a very good live band. Okkulto used to be their singer, yes. I am in touch with the other guys, we are from the same area. We get along well. We are all old friends and Metalheads who like more or less the same type of bands, even if we don’t really sound the same.

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9. The trilogy is an amazing summation of what early EURYNOMOS is all about. But I am pretty sure, many fans can’t wait to get your brand new full length. What’s up with your new album?

We cannot wait for the real debut album as well. The 7“Eps were a nice start, but we wanna do an album that is recorded in one session. 70% of the album is written and I need some more days without any work to concentrate on the remaining 30%. It should be a kick ass album and no quick and cheap shot. We wanna deliver an album for the headbangers that they will still enjoy listening to in years, an album that will stand the test of time! We hope to nail it this Summer and release it still in 2017! Be ready for this metallic storm!

10. The Lord of Hell (Satan) is present on all your materials. It is very distinctive I guess. Whose idea it was? Are you going to carry on this concept in the future? Well, need you any devilish stuff for your cover arts, let me know!

I have drawn the cover artworks. I wanted to have a classic design and the other guys agreed to the idea… it should reflect the style of music we play. When you look at the EP covers, you know that we are no modern Metal band or Mosh band. This concept was just for the trilogy EPs. Our debut album will look different. Wait and see.

11. If you had magic power to move somewhere and sometime else, where would you go? What would you do?

Never thought about this question… hmmm… I would probably travel back in time to the SLAYER gig at Woodstock in 1983 and bang my head off, ha-ha. Those were the days when adrenaline was following, when Speed / Black Metal was new, wild and fresh!

12. I am listening to your compilation album again, and man, this stuff is unputdownable! Super-duper, this cd is – I can hear a lot of VENOM and BATHORY influences in it. I am pretty sure Quorthon didn’t have the faintest idea how influential his (early) music would become in the future, including even these who don’t hold the Black Banner of Hell in their hands. So, is BATHORY your main influence then?

Thanks a lot for your nice words, it’s really great to hear that old Metal maniacs like yourself seem to understand what our music is all about. That’s the biggest compliment for us. Not everyone gets it, especially not some of the bigger magazines, total wimpdom.

Well, Okkulto is a total Die Hard BATHORY fan. I remember he was really hit hard when Quorthon died. BATHORY means a lot to him, both for his days in DESASTER and also still in EURYNOMOS.

Riff-wise I am more oriented to VENOM, when it comes to the Black Metal side of EURYNOMOS. But that’s the same family tree since early BATHORY was very much influenced by VENOM, too. Think none of the musicians in the 80s could imagine that in 2017 (!) there would still be fans and bands carrying the torch and cultivating the old sound that those bands created decades ago. And that’s the biggest compliment you can get as an artist, like Quorthon, Mantas, Hanneman, etc

13. It is very interesting and surprising at the same time to notice that all those most valuable bands whose albums were out in the 80s (BATHORY`s ‘The Return’, ‘Endless Pain’, ‘Welcome To Hell’, ‘Gates To Purgatory’, ‘Morbid Tales’, ‘Emperors Return’ or ‘To Mega Therion’) were really attractive as long as they were "devilish" so to say. The moment they started to lose their satanic/devilish approach, their power started to diminish as well. Therefore, what’s your view on it? Is this unique blend of metal and Devil the only way to bring forth awesome metal music? As any other stuff, by comparison seems trite and power-free!

The expression of the music, the lyrics and artwork goes hand in hand. As soon as you change one element the whole expression may change. But it was also a time phenomenon, like from early 80s until 85, Thrash bands had a rebellious and sometimes satanic and evil image, serious or not, but the symbols, lyrics, the artworks were like this. After that period of time, having a devilish image was totally „out of date“, and the old bands didn’t want to be called a yesterday’s band and tried to be up to date and changed their image and also music, which was wrong afterwards. Bands thought they progressed, get rid of the back then seen as a childish image, etc. But real underground headbangers are not into progression and wimp outs, they wanna feel the raw and dark energy, not any technical stuff with social lyrics. That’s why early albums of many bands are considered classics and not the more progressed ones. That’s why we formed EURYNOMOS, we wanted to cultivate the early spirits of all the bands you mentioned.

14. Tell me three things you can associate with Poland.

Nice old architecture, I heard Polish restorers must be the best, nice women who like to dress up in a feminine way which I personally welcome, he-he, and passionate Metal fans. Unfortunately I have never been to your country so far.

15. Well, what would you like me to wish you guys?

Hmm, to come up with an album that everybody into old steel will love. Let’s wish for all of us that the underground kills the corrupt mainstream scene and media one day and let real quality Metal take control again. I am sick of so many false Metal people.

16. Ok, that’s pretty much it, I reckon. Thanks a lot for your time. Anything to add for OMMM readers? Take care, man.

Thanks Leszek for inviting EURYNOMOS into your realm!!! Keep the flame of OLDSCHOOL METAL MANIAC burning bright, you are an important foundation of our scene! To all headbangers who like Metal the conservative, dark, heavy and powerful wicked way, check out EURYNOMOS.